A 23-year-old Philadelphia woman is facing a simple assault charge for allegedly attacking a newspaper reporter inside a courtroom during the sentencing of former Rutgers football player Tejay Johnson.

NEW BRUNSWICK - A 23-year-old Philadelphia woman is facing a simple assault charge for allegedly attacking a newspaper reporter inside a courtroom during the sentencing of former Rutgers football player Tejay Johnson.

Trudy Smith was arrested and charged Friday, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey.

According to Carey, as Johnson was being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, a female reporter with NJ Advance Media stood up to take photos for the story she was assigned to cover. Smith, who was sitting behind her, stood up, struck the reporter and began to pull her hair, Carey said.

Middlesex County Sheriff Officers intervened and separated the women. Smith was removed from the courtroom and was arrested on a summons. She is due to appear in New Brunswick Municipal Court on Aug. 20, officials said.

Rutgers quarterbacks Johnathan Lewis and Giovanni Rescigno laugh together as they run drills during the first training camp practice at Marco Battaglia Practice Complex at Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ Friday August 3, 2018. Tanya Breen

Johnson, 26, of Egg Harbor, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison in connection with several home invasion armed robberies in which the victims, also Rutgers students, were targeted for drugs and cash.